Thread: Don't leave home without a saw!

Nice looking wood there..gotta love the Acacias,what a superb genus it is..so many tasty species to choose from ..MM

A novice question. How do you cut your green wood so accurately for drying? Hand saw, bandsaw or chainsaw?

Originally Posted by IanW

................. Something about this wood I noticed is that it likes to weep gum from the surface, long after the wood is ‘dry’. ......Cleaning it off the completed article a couple of times & using a shellac-based finish seems to eliminate any ongoing problems. (I have noticed a similar exudate from Gidgee, though not quite as persistent as from the Myall). ..............
..........Note how much of that gummy gunk oozes out of any cut surface – here are two shots taken (1) a few minutes after cutting, and (2) a couple of hours after:

gum 10 mins.jpg gum 2 hrs.jpg

I always take it as a good sign Myall seems to ooze the most and it works out that the acacias that ooze resin just happen to smell the best while you're working them too. Yarran (a.melvillei) and Nelia (a.oswaldii) also ooze heaps and have the same smell - supposed to be like violets though I have no idea what they smell like I've found that once the resin stops showing the timber is properly dry and has stopped shrinking so you won't see the goo any more .

Nice score

Originally Posted by IanW

..... up the Newell highway, & there are several spots where these trees grow in thick groves.....

Got a GPS location, or more accurate description

Better than nice!!! They will make beautiful marking gauges.!!!

Originally Posted by dai sensei

....Got a GPS location, or more accurate description....

Sorry Neill, I'm a complete Ludddite who still uses the bitumen compass, occasionally helped by those $2 map thingies you used to buy at service stations - they only give me a rough approximation of where I am. I meant to take a pic of a nice group of trees, but in the excitement of bagging my catch, I forgot.

It's quite a drive to the nearest patch of Myalls from here, but they ain't hard to find. Big clumps close to the road are common from about 25Ks south of Bogabilla. I saw a couple of trees about 20Ks west of Milmerran, looking a bit lost between belts of Brigalow & Belah. If you look up its distribution, you'll see it is a very widespread species, though of course it's patchy within the given area. I would like to have a couple of them in my yard, but not sure how they'd tolerate the coastal climate. They are very attractive little trees....

TTIT - thanks for the info on the gum. I was wondering if this tree was unusually gummy and if it would affect its useability, but you've given me hope that it will be fine in a year or so. The piece I've had for some years oozed a bit after I sawed it, but nothing like the fresh stuff!

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

................... I would like to have a couple of them in my yard, but not sure how they'd tolerate the coastal climate. They are very attractive little trees....

You'd be surprised where they can grow if helped along - I know where there's a line of them growing quite happily in Northern Victoria of all places!

Originally Posted by IanW

TTIT - thanks for the info on the gum. I was wondering if this tree was unusually gummy and if it would affect its useability, but you've given me hope that it will be fine in a year or so. The piece I've had for some years oozed a bit after I sawed it, but nothing like the fresh stuff!
Cheers,

Don't even begin to doubt its useability!! It's actually of Regal worthiness, having been used for parts of some of the Royal carriages over the centuries!

What a great story and one to keep in mind. Keep your saw in the car.

Originally Posted by Christos

What a great story and one to keep in mind. Keep your saw in the car.

I never leave home without it, Christos! I can't think of many uses for a plastic-handled, hard-point "Jack" saw in the shed, but it's been invaluable on many an occasion when I've spotted treasure that some wastrel generous benefactor has put out for the tip. I'm not worried about neatness or accuracy when reducing such material to a semi-legal fit in my little ute...

Cheers,

Yeh good score, always carry a 3/4 axe and an old saw snuggled in amongst the rest of the crap in the back of the Jeep.